Multiple graphophone.



No. 7ll,706. Patented Oct. 2|, I902.

T. H. MACDONALD. MULTIPLE GRAPHOPHONE.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Smear-Sheet I.

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(Application filed June 11, 1898.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 7l|,706. Patented Oct; 2|, I902.

T. H. MACDONALD.

MULTIPLE GRAPHOPHUNE.

(Application filed. June 11, 1898.)

(No Model.) i 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT. ()FFICE.

THOMAS H. MACDONALD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMERICAN GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ACORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MULTIPLE GRAPHOPHONE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 711,706, dated October21, 1902.

Application filed June 11, 1898. Serial No. 683,230. \No model.)

To all whom it may conc be done is to proportion the diaphragm to Be itknown that I, THOMAS II. MAODON- sounds of intermediate pitch. Itis alsofound ALD, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, have inthat the diaphragm of agraphophone can revented a new and useful Improvement in spondefiectively to buta limited number of Multiple Graphophones, whichimprovement instruments. It will record effectively an oris fullysetforthin the followingspecification. chestra of, say, eight or teninstruments, but It has been proposed heretofore to actuate doubling thenumber of instruments would a plurality of recording points by thedianot increase the fullness of tone in anything phragm of asound-recorder, so as to make like the same proportion. The resultant1'0 several records simultaneously, either on the sound-wave becomes toocomplex for the diasame recording-tablet or on separate tablets. phragmto follow. By using, in the manner It has also been proposed to arrangea numhereinafter described, anumber (two or more) berof recorders (eachhaving a single stylus) of recorders and a corresponding number of toact simultaneously upon a recording-surreproducers I am able to obtainacoustical '5 face, each to make a record for a single voice effectssuperior in quality and superior also or instrument. The object of theplan first in fullness as distinguished from mere loudmentioned has beeneither to multiply the ness. To this end the multiple graphophoneproduction of sound-records or to obtain in is provided with any desirednumbersay reproducing louder efiects. The object of four-of recorders,each havingadiaphragm 20 the second plan has been to reproduce thediffering in diameter and thickness from the different recordssimultaneously, thus obothers. In making records with this instrutainingthe effects of concerted music. This ment the performers Will be sogrouped and latter plan (which more nearly than the first thesound-conveying tubes so arranged that resembles my present invention)has never the great volume of the sound of high pitch 25 been realizedin practice, mainly because no will converge upon the most sensitivediaeifective means have been known Wherebya phragm, those of a lowerpitch upon a less number of reproducing instruments could be sensitivediaphragm, and so on. made to Work in absolute unison from a mul-Theinvention also embraces improvements tiple record, but partly alsobecause good in mechanical construction, and particularly 3o practicalrecords of a number of voices or inin the means for securing requisiteharmoni- 8o struments are obtained with a single diaous operation of theseveral recording and phragm and recording-stylus. reproducing devices,as will be hereinafter The object of the present invention is primorefully described. marily to obtain superior acoustical results Oneembodiment of my invention is illus- 35 in recording and reproducingconcerted mutrated in the accompanying drawings, in 8;

sic, either vocal or instrumental. which- I have found that recordingand reproduc- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the multiinginstrumentalities which give the best reple graphophone. Fig. 2 is anenlarged side suits for sounds of a particular character are elevation,with parts broken away, of the car- 40 not the most suitable forisoundsof a differrier-bar and the recorders or reproducers sup- 0 cutcharacter. This applies particularly to ported thereby. Fig. 3 is a Viewillustrating the diaphragm. For sounds of high pitch a theproportionate'thickness of the severaldiadiaphragm of smaller-diameterand less thickphragms, said thickness in each case being ness should beused to produce the best resomewhat exaggerated forthe sake of clear- 45sults, whereas for sounds of lower pitch a ness. Fig. 4 is an end viewof Fig. 1, showdiaphragm of greater diameter and thickness ing arecorder in operative position. Fig. 5 is more effective. This appliesas Well to the is an end view of Fig. 2, showing the manner diaphragm ofthe reproducer as to that of the of mounting the recorders andreprodncers recorder. Consequently when a single reon the carrier-barand the means for indi- 5o corder or reproducer is used the best thatcan vidually raising the recorder or reproducers 10o from the record.Fig. 6 shows an edge view of the lifting-lever; Fig. 7, a plan, end, andside elevations of the bearings for the recorders and reproducers.

A is the frame of the machine, and B is a shaft mounted to turn onbearings B at each end of the frame and bearing B in a bar extendingacross the framebetween the bearings B B. The surface of this shaft,near one end thereof, is screw-threaded, as shown at 1), between one ofthe end bearings B and the bearing B and for the remainder of its lengthit supports the mandrel D, over which the cylindrical tablet 0 may beslipped, the length of the screw-threaded portion 1) being only afraction of the length of the mandrel D.

The carriage for the recorderor reproducer bar F consists of twocross-arms E, spanning the machine from side to side, suitably spaced bybars 2 e and having their front ends bearing upon the guide-rest E,while their rear ends are connected to the sleeve E traveling on theguide or way E, Fig. 4.

G is a half-nut resting normally upon the screw b and having an arm Gconnecting it to the bar N, sliding longitudinally of the sleeve E inbearings 11 n, rigidly secured to said sleeve. One end of the bar N hasa screw-nut secured thereto, through which a screw 'n" is passed, withits end abutting the bearing to. of the sleeve E and a spring 07/ (seeFig. 1) is interposed between the hearing 71 and an upturned lug on thesleeve E said spring acting in opposition to the screw it", whereby thebar N may be adjusted in either direction along the sleeve E byoperating the screw 71."; The cross-arms E have each a levelsmoothly-planed surface 6", upon which surfaces the recorder orreproducer bar F is supported. This bar F has slotted lugs f, whoseunder sides are planed, so as to bear smoothly and evenly upon thesurfaces bar in position and the slots in the lugsf per- Knitting theready removal and replacement of the bar by simply loosening the screws.The bar F has projecting from its face a number of tubes f, there beingone of such tubes for each recorder or reproducer to be used. On theunder side, or the side opposite the projecting tubes f, the bar hasformed therein a longitudinal concave groove or channel, preferablysemicylindrical in cross-section, said channel being connected with thetubes f by holes f, as shown in Fig. 2.

H H H H are the recorders or reproducers, here shown as four in number,though any desired number may be employed, and h h h h are thediaphragms thereof. Of these diaphragms it has the least diameter and isthe thinnest, it being designed to record or reproduce sounds of a highpitch, while diaphragm h is of a slightly-larger diameter and is alittle thicker than diaphragm h and is intended to record or reproducesounds of a mediumly-high pitch, but.

lower than those sounds in connection with which diaphragm it operates.In alike manner diaphragm h is of greater diameter and thicker than h,and h is of greater diameter and thicker than-h, each being designed torecord and reproduce sounds of a pitch lower than the one preceding itin the series. In the drawings diaphragms h, h, h, and h arerespectively three-fourths of an inch, one inch, one and one-quarter.inches, and one and one half inches in diameter, and I have found thatwith these diam eters a very satisfactory thickness for the diaphragmsto be h.004 inch, h/-.0055 inch, 77." .007 inch, and h .0085 inch. Thediaphragms of Fig. 3 have the thickness considerably exaggerated, owingto the difficulty of properly representing a diaphragm of .004 of aninch thick; but it will be understood that the exact proportions of thediaphragms as shown in the drawings or as given herein are notessential, so long as several diaphragms differingin diameter andthickness are employed. It will be also understood that While I have forpurposes of illustration shown in Fig. 3 diaphragms of reproducers thesame principle of varying the diameter and thickness of the diaphragm tosuit the character of the sounds applies with equal force whether it bein connection with the diaphragm of a recorder or a reproducer.

For the purpose of mounting the recorders or reproducers on the bar F acylindrical trunnion-block K, provided with trunnions 7.0, has a hole 7cbored transversely through it, and the stem of the recorder orreproducer is inserted therein. Seated in the groove of the bar F and onopposite sides of each of the holes f formed in the bar arebearingblocks M, Figs. 2 and 7, the base 'm of the block being curved tofit the groove in the bar, in which it is secured by screws m or othersuitable means. The uprights mof the bearing-block M are split to formclamps, in which are held the bearing-points 'm', a screw or otherdevice it being used to tighten the clamps, so as to securely hold thebearing-points 'm' in any adjusted position. The trunnion-blocks K whenmounted to turn on the bearing-points m fit the groove in the barF'neatly, only sufficient clearance being allowed to admit of freemotion. Provision is made whereby each one of the recorders or reproducers may be separately raised from the record-tablet. Fonthis purpose alever P, Figs. 2, 5, and 6, is fulcrumed on a bracket 19, attached totheside of the bar F, said 1ever having a pin 19 extending under thestem 70 of the recorder or reproducer, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and5. A second pin p projects from the side of the lever P in a position tobe just free from contact with the bracket 9 when the style of therecorder or reproducer is resting on the face of the tablet C, so thatsaid pin in no way interferes with the movements of the recorder orreproducer in relation to the tablet.

If it is found desirable to throw any one of the recorders orreproducers out of action, it is only necessary to turn the lever P fromthe full-line to the dotted-line position of Fig. 5, when the pin p actsto lift the recorder or reproducer from off the tablet. A suitablerestraining device may, if desired, be employed to engage and hold theleverPin the dottedline position. Pivoted to the cross-bar e of thecarriage is a lever G, having a face q formed on its inner end and aface g on a lug projecting from the lever near its pivoted point. Whenit is desired to raise the carriage, so as to throw all the recorders orreproducers out of operative relation to the record-tablet O, the handleend of the lever is seized and the entire carriage lifted. As soon asthe face (1 is raised above the top surface of the guide-rest E thelever Q turns on its pivot until the face q abuts the spacing-bar e, atwhich time the face q will be immediately over the guide-rest E, and ifallowed to bear upon said guide-rest will support the carriage in itselevated position. "When the carriage is thus raised, each recorder orreproducer is prevented by the engagement of the pin 19 with the bracket19 from turning on its trunnions under the action of gravity, and hencethe recorders and reproducers are raised with the bar F and thecarriage.

R is a suitable driving-pulley on the shaft B. The bearing B at the endof said shaft opposite the screw-threads Z) is mounted in an end gate,which is swung to one side when the tablet C is to be placed upon orremoved from the mandrel D, but which is normally closed, so as to holdthe bearing B in opera-- tive relation with the shaft B, as is shown inFig. 1.

In practice it is found more convenient to employ two bars F, one tocarry a set of recorders and one a set of reproducers, the latter beingspaced on the bar F so as to exactly correspond with the spacing of therecorders. In order to accomplish this, the recorders are mounted on thebar F and are arranged so as to be as nearly equidistant from each otheras possible. The bar carrying the reproducers is next assembled, thebearingblocks M being placed as nearly as possible to correspond withthe ones on the recorder-bar. The reproducers are then swung between thebearing-points m, and one pair of these bearing-pointsas, for example,the one at the left in Fig. 2-securely clamped. The other reproducersare then carefully spaced and set with reference to the fixed one andwith reference to the corresponding recorder on the recorder-bar. Forthis purpose a suitable jig may be used, if desired, and the severalreproducers having been adjusted so as to exactly correspond to thespacing of the recorders the bearing-points m are securely clamped. Bythis meansit is rendered certain that the several reproducer-styles willalways occupy the same relative positions on the record-tablet that wereoccupied by the corresponding recorder-styles, and hence all soundswhich are simultaneously recorded by the recorders will besimultaneously reproduced by the reproducers.

'It will be apparent that the method of swinging the recorders andreproducers on trunnions having a considerable distance be tween thebearing-points and arranging these on a rigid bar gives the firm andaccurate construction which is so highly essential in the production ofeven clear records. Considerable advantage is also gained by having astraight sound-tube of even diameter and a very close joint between thetrunnionblocks and the bar F.

Primarily the machine is intended for use as a multiple graphophone inwhich a pinrality of recorders or reproducers shall operate at the sametime, but obviously all of the recorders or reproducers except one maybe thrown out of operation, when the machine will operate as an ordinarygraphophone, using but a single diaphragm; but inasmuch as the carriagehas a travel of but a fraction of the length of the record-cylinder,which, as shown in the present instance would be but one-fourth of suchlength, it would be impossible to utilize the entire surface of therecord tablet or cylinder. For the purpose of using a single recorder orreproducer on the present machine in connection with the entire surfaceof the record-cylinder, as well as for the purpose of operating a shaverthroughout the full length of the cylinder, I have provided a secondscrew-shaft V, journaled parallel with the shaft B in the frame A andscrew-threaded throughout its entire length, the length of the shaftVbeing somewhat greater than that of the mandrel D. This screw-shaft V isconnected by suitable gearing, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, with theshaft B. By removing the multiple carriage shown in the drawings andsubstituting a single carriage,with its nut in connection with the screwV,a recorder, reproducer, or shaver,

as desired, may be caused to operate throughout the full length of thecylinder 0.

It will be understood that while the machine herein described is aconvenient and effective embodiment of my invention the invention itselfis not limited to the construction described, but is broad enough toinclude any means whereby a plurality of diaphragms, each of which isespecially adapted to sounds differing in character from sounds to whichthe others are adapted, are employed in the recording and reproductionof sounds.

Having thus described my invention, what .I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a graphophone, the combination with a record-tablet, of aplurality of diaphragms having recording or reproducing pointssimultaneously contacting with said tablet different diaphragms beingadapted to sounds differing in character from sounds to which otherdiaphragms are adapted.

2. In a graphophone, the combination with a record-tablet, of aplurality of diaphragms having recording or reproducing pointssimultaneously contacting with said tablet dif ferent diaphragms beingadapted to sounds differing in pitch from sounds to which otherdiaphragms are adapted.

3. Ina multiple graphophone, a plurality of simultaneously-operablerecorders or reproducers having diaphragms of different thickness,substantially as described.

4. In a multiple graphophone, a plurality of simultaneously-operablerecorders or re-. producers having diaphragms of different diameters andthicknesses, substantially as described.

5. In a multiple graphophone, a plurality of recorders or reproducershaving diaphragms of difierent diameters, the diaphragm having thegreatest diameter being the thickest, and each of the other diaphragmsbeing thinner than any diaphragm having a greater diameter,substantially as described.

6. In a multiple graphophone, a plurality of recorders or reproducersand means for independently throwing any one of the recorders orreproducers into or out of operative relation with the record-tablet,substantially as described.

7. In a graphophone the combination of a series of recorders orreproducers mounted on a suitable support, with means for independentlyadjusting said recorders or reproducers longitudinally of the series,substantially as described.

8. In a graphophone the combination of a recorder or reproducer, atransversely-bored trunnion-block having the stem of the recorder orreproducer inserted therein, with bearing-points supporting thetrunnions of said block, clamps engaging said bearingpoints, and meansfor supporting said clamps, substantially as described.

9. In a graphophone, the combination of a transversely-bored body havinga semicylindrical longitudinal channel therein, a pair of clamps securedin said channel on opposite sides of the bore and supportinglongitudinally-adjustable bearing-points, with a transversely-boredtrunnion-block having the stem of a recorder or reproducer insertedtherein, the trunnions of said block being supported by saidbearing-points, substantially as de scribed.

10. In a graphophone, a shaft supporting the record mandrel and having ascrewthreaded portion equal to but a fraction of the length of themandrel, a second shaft having a screw-threaded portion as great as thelength of the mandrel, and a carriage movable on a suitable way andhaving a nut engaging the screwthreads on one of said shafts,substantially as described.

11. In a graphophone, a carriage moving on a suitable way, ascrew-threaded shaft, a nut engaging the screw-threads thereon, aconnection between the nut and the carriage and means for longitudinallyadjusting the nut on the carriage, substantially as described.

12. In a graphophone, a carriage moving on a suitable way, an adjustable slide on said carriage, a screw-threaded shaft, a nut engagingthe screw-threads thereon, a suitable connection between said nut andslide and means for longitudinally adjusting said slide on the carriage,substantially as described.

13. An imved phonograph-havingarecord-cylinder and a plurality ofsimultaneously-operative diaphragms or plates, each of said diaphragmsor plates, by its construction, material or proportions, being adaptedto respond to sounds of a given pitch or quality difierent from theothers, with means for tracing records upon said cylinder. 7

14. An improved phonograph having a record-cylinder and a plurality ofdiaphragms or plates, each, by its construction, material orproportions, adapted to respond to sounds of a given pitch or qualitydifferent from the others, an individual stylus for each plate adaptedto act simultaneously with the others on the cylinder and following anindependent path on said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

O. A. L. MASSIE, ELISHA K. CAMP.

